Shoe care for the way you wear.
Step-by-step care for 25 materials and problems: the same guides that live inside Midsole. Each one says what to do, what to avoid and how often.
Leather
Smooth, patent, dress and exotic
-
Cleaning & Conditioning Leather
Most of your Jordans, Dunks, Air Maxes, Sambas, and Stan Smiths land here. Modern leather uppers are forgiving — what wrecks them is dirt sitting in crease lines and leather drying out from neglect. A clean every 25 wears or so, plus a light condition when it feels dry, keeps the grain alive.
-
Patent Leather Maintenance
That mirror finish on AJ11 mudguards and certain AF1 releases is a lacquer coating over the leather. It resists water and most stains, but every scuff shows. Clean gently and keep anything abrasive away — once patent crazes, there's no bringing it back.
-
Polishing Dress Leather
Oxfords, derbies, loafers, leather heels and flats. Dress leather is looked after differently from an everyday trainer: a brush after every wear, trees in, and every so often a clean, a coat of cream polish to feed the leather and bring the color back, then wax only where you want a shine. Cream feeds; wax protects and shines. Heels, soles and welts are a cobbler's job when they wear down.
-
Caring for Exotic Skins
Snakeskin, python, lizard, crocodile, alligator, ostrich and stingray are real hides with scales, beads or quills, and the scales are where care goes wrong. Wipe with them, never against; keep water to a minimum; and feed the skin with a conditioner made for it, only when it looks dry. Anything more than a wipe on a valuable pair is a specialist's job.
Suede and nubuck
Napped leathers
Textiles
Canvas, mesh, knit and denim
-
Cleaning Canvas
The forgiving upper. Canvas — Chucks, Vans, canvas Jordans — handles direct cleaning and firm brushing. Skip the washing machine and bleach (it weakens fibers and yellows whites), and dry out of direct sun.
-
Cleaning Mesh & Knit
Flyknit, Primeknit, Roshe-style mesh — engineered for breathability, which means they soak up cleaning solutions and trap stains deep in the weave. Brush dry first, work the cleaner in lightly, and don't let water sit. Patience pays off here.
-
Caring for Denim
Denim is meant to age — fade, crease, whisker. Care here is minimal cleaning, maximum protection. Hit them with a water repellent before you wear them, brush off surface dirt, and let the patina build. Aggressive cleaning erases the character you actually want.
Synthetics
Cages, sock uppers and Foamposite
-
Cleaning Plastic Cages & Overlays
Clear plastic cages on Air Max 95s and 97s, hardware overlays on Jordans — these don't get dirty so much as damaged or yellowed by UV. Care is mostly prevention: store them away from direct sun, clean gently, and accept that some yellowing is part of the journey.
-
Cleaning Stretch Sock Uppers
Soft, porous foam-family uppers — Sock Darts, ACG booties, some training silhouettes. They don't tolerate aggressive cleaning. Stick to a damp cloth, mild soap, and air drying. Avoid solvents and direct heat.
-
Cleaning Foamposites
The Foamposite upper is a one-piece molded polyurethane shell — completely sealed and surprisingly easy to clean. A damp microfiber wipes off most marks. The risk areas are deep scuffs (almost impossible to repair) and the inner foam degrading over years of storage.
Special finishes
Satin, metallic, glitter, velvet, calf hair and natural fibres
-
Caring for Satin, Metallic & Glitter
Satin pumps, metallic flats, glitter heels. These finishes are all surface, and the surface is fragile: satin water-marks and snags, metallic foil scratches and lifts, glitter sheds. Care is mostly prevention and spot work: blot, don't rub; dry methods first; and a cobbler or specialist for anything that sets in.
-
Caring for Velvet, Calf Hair & Natural Fibers
Velvet slippers, calf-hair loafers, raffia espadrilles, cork. These are textures more than surfaces: velvet and calf hair have a pile that crushes and mats, raffia and jute are plant fibers that swell and stain with water, and cork dries out. Care is dry first: brush with the pile, dab rather than wash, and keep them out of the rain.
Soles and insides
Midsoles, cushioning, outsoles and linings
-
Preventing Midsole Rot
Older Jordans, Air Max 95s and 97s, ENCAP New Balance runners and some adidas pairs use polyurethane (PU) midsoles that slowly break down — the crumbling people call midsole rot, often after 5–10 years. Good storage and regular wear slow it down.
-
Cleaning & Brightening Midsoles
Most modern pairs — Nike Phylon and Cushlon, adidas Lightstrike, most casual silhouettes — use EVA-based foam midsoles. Boost (TPU) and ZoomX (PEBA) are covered here too, with their own rules. Slow compression over years of wear is normal, not a defect. Keep them clean and out of hot cars and they'll last.
-
Caring for Gel Cushioning
ASICS Gel, Reebok DMX, Mizuno Wave — encapsulated cushioning sitting inside the surrounding midsole foam. The pods themselves are durable; the concerns are the foam around them and the clear windows that expose the gel. Keep them out of extreme heat.
-
Caring for Plate & Pod Cushioning
Carbon fiber plates, honeycomb cells, hollow pods — cushioning that uses structure rather than foam to compress. Generally bulletproof, but the visible elements can crack with heavy abuse or extreme cold. Avoid storing in unconditioned spaces.
-
Caring for Air Units
Nike Air units are the most durable component on the shoe — encapsulated bags routinely outlast the upper and outsole. Visible Air windows can yellow over time and edge seams can fail (rare). Care is mostly about not poking them with anything sharp.
-
Cleaning Outsoles
Solid rubber, gum rubber, translucent / icy soles, Continental, Vibram, crepe — different rubber compounds, different care. Gum and translucent yellow over time, crepe gets dirty fast, all of them benefit from a quick scrub after muddy wears. Limit long sun exposure.
-
Cleaning & Freshening Linings
You rarely clean the lining itself — cleaning the upper handles 90% of it. The exceptions: sweat odor from heavy wear, a spill that soaked through, and the inevitable wear on the heel collar. Quick maintenance keeps the inside as long-lasting as the outside.
Weather
Wet days and winter streets
Marks and stains
Scuffs, mud, oil, ink and grass
-
Scuffs on Leather
A scuff on white leather is usually dirt pressed into the finish, or the finish itself rubbed off. The first comes out; the second needs a little color put back.
-
Mud, Oil, Ink & Grass
Most stains come out if you treat them for what they are. Mud wants to dry first, oil wants drawing out, ink and grass want the right solvent, in small amounts.
Shape and wear
Creases and soles
-
Creases
Creases come with wearing a pair: the toe box bends every step. You can make new ones softer and slower; deep ones don't fully go.
-
Sole Coming Off
A sole lifting at the toe or heel is the glue giving up. On a beater, you can glue it yourself in an evening. On a pair you care about, a cobbler does it better and cleaner.
-
Preventing Midsole Rot
Older Jordans, Air Max 95s and 97s, ENCAP New Balance runners and some adidas pairs use polyurethane (PU) midsoles that slowly break down — the crumbling people call midsole rot, often after 5–10 years. Good storage and regular wear slow it down.
Yellowing and odour
Soles and insides
-
Cleaning & Brightening Midsoles
Most modern pairs — Nike Phylon and Cushlon, adidas Lightstrike, most casual silhouettes — use EVA-based foam midsoles. Boost (TPU) and ZoomX (PEBA) are covered here too, with their own rules. Slow compression over years of wear is normal, not a defect. Keep them clean and out of hot cars and they'll last.
-
Cleaning Outsoles
Solid rubber, gum rubber, translucent / icy soles, Continental, Vibram, crepe — different rubber compounds, different care. Gum and translucent yellow over time, crepe gets dirty fast, all of them benefit from a quick scrub after muddy wears. Limit long sun exposure.
-
Cleaning & Freshening Linings
You rarely clean the lining itself — cleaning the upper handles 90% of it. The exceptions: sweat odor from heavy wear, a spill that soaked through, and the inevitable wear on the heel collar. Quick maintenance keeps the inside as long-lasting as the outside.
Everyday sneakers
Leather, suede, canvas and knit
-
Cleaning & Conditioning Leather
Most of your Jordans, Dunks, Air Maxes, Sambas, and Stan Smiths land here. Modern leather uppers are forgiving — what wrecks them is dirt sitting in crease lines and leather drying out from neglect. A clean every 25 wears or so, plus a light condition when it feels dry, keeps the grain alive.
-
Reviving Suede & Nubuck
Suede care is more about technique than product. You're brushing the nap, not soaking the surface — water is the enemy. A soft brush, an eraser for marks, and a protectant spray before the first wear keep these looking sharp for years.
-
Cleaning Canvas
The forgiving upper. Canvas — Chucks, Vans, canvas Jordans — handles direct cleaning and firm brushing. Skip the washing machine and bleach (it weakens fibers and yellows whites), and dry out of direct sun.
-
Cleaning Mesh & Knit
Flyknit, Primeknit, Roshe-style mesh — engineered for breathability, which means they soak up cleaning solutions and trap stains deep in the weave. Brush dry first, work the cleaner in lightly, and don't let water sit. Patience pays off here.
-
Cleaning & Brightening Midsoles
Most modern pairs — Nike Phylon and Cushlon, adidas Lightstrike, most casual silhouettes — use EVA-based foam midsoles. Boost (TPU) and ZoomX (PEBA) are covered here too, with their own rules. Slow compression over years of wear is normal, not a defect. Keep them clean and out of hot cars and they'll last.
-
Cleaning Outsoles
Solid rubber, gum rubber, translucent / icy soles, Continental, Vibram, crepe — different rubber compounds, different care. Gum and translucent yellow over time, crepe gets dirty fast, all of them benefit from a quick scrub after muddy wears. Limit long sun exposure.
Runners and performance
Knit uppers and cushioning
-
Cleaning Mesh & Knit
Flyknit, Primeknit, Roshe-style mesh — engineered for breathability, which means they soak up cleaning solutions and trap stains deep in the weave. Brush dry first, work the cleaner in lightly, and don't let water sit. Patience pays off here.
-
Cleaning Stretch Sock Uppers
Soft, porous foam-family uppers — Sock Darts, ACG booties, some training silhouettes. They don't tolerate aggressive cleaning. Stick to a damp cloth, mild soap, and air drying. Avoid solvents and direct heat.
-
Caring for Gel Cushioning
ASICS Gel, Reebok DMX, Mizuno Wave — encapsulated cushioning sitting inside the surrounding midsole foam. The pods themselves are durable; the concerns are the foam around them and the clear windows that expose the gel. Keep them out of extreme heat.
-
Caring for Plate & Pod Cushioning
Carbon fiber plates, honeycomb cells, hollow pods — cushioning that uses structure rather than foam to compress. Generally bulletproof, but the visible elements can crack with heavy abuse or extreme cold. Avoid storing in unconditioned spaces.
-
Caring for Air Units
Nike Air units are the most durable component on the shoe — encapsulated bags routinely outlast the upper and outsole. Visible Air windows can yellow over time and edge seams can fail (rare). Care is mostly about not poking them with anything sharp.
Boots
Leather, suede and bad weather
-
Cleaning & Conditioning Leather
Most of your Jordans, Dunks, Air Maxes, Sambas, and Stan Smiths land here. Modern leather uppers are forgiving — what wrecks them is dirt sitting in crease lines and leather drying out from neglect. A clean every 25 wears or so, plus a light condition when it feels dry, keeps the grain alive.
-
Reviving Suede & Nubuck
Suede care is more about technique than product. You're brushing the nap, not soaking the surface — water is the enemy. A soft brush, an eraser for marks, and a protectant spray before the first wear keep these looking sharp for years.
-
Rain, Snow & Salt
Caught out in the rain, or walked through salted sidewalks? What you do in the next few hours matters more than any cleaner. Dry them slow, lift the salt before it sets, and suede and leather come back fine.
Dress shoes and loafers
Polish, creases and resoles
-
Polishing Dress Leather
Oxfords, derbies, loafers, leather heels and flats. Dress leather is looked after differently from an everyday trainer: a brush after every wear, trees in, and every so often a clean, a coat of cream polish to feed the leather and bring the color back, then wax only where you want a shine. Cream feeds; wax protects and shines. Heels, soles and welts are a cobbler's job when they wear down.
-
Creases
Creases come with wearing a pair: the toe box bends every step. You can make new ones softer and slower; deep ones don't fully go.
-
Sole Coming Off
A sole lifting at the toe or heel is the glue giving up. On a beater, you can glue it yourself in an evening. On a pair you care about, a cobbler does it better and cleaner.
Heels and occasion shoes
Satin, metallic, exotic skins and velvet
-
Caring for Satin, Metallic & Glitter
Satin pumps, metallic flats, glitter heels. These finishes are all surface, and the surface is fragile: satin water-marks and snags, metallic foil scratches and lifts, glitter sheds. Care is mostly prevention and spot work: blot, don't rub; dry methods first; and a cobbler or specialist for anything that sets in.
-
Caring for Exotic Skins
Snakeskin, python, lizard, crocodile, alligator, ostrich and stingray are real hides with scales, beads or quills, and the scales are where care goes wrong. Wipe with them, never against; keep water to a minimum; and feed the skin with a conditioner made for it, only when it looks dry. Anything more than a wipe on a valuable pair is a specialist's job.
-
Caring for Velvet, Calf Hair & Natural Fibers
Velvet slippers, calf-hair loafers, raffia espadrilles, cork. These are textures more than surfaces: velvet and calf hair have a pile that crushes and mats, raffia and jute are plant fibers that swell and stain with water, and cork dries out. Care is dry first: brush with the pile, dab rather than wash, and keep them out of the rain.
No guides match that. Try a material like "suede" or a problem like "creases".
Care that keeps you on feet.
In the app, every pair gets its own routine and a heads-up when it's due. Join the waitlist and we'll tell you when it's ready.